To Find My Way Home
by Mikoto Zoku
Summary: A troubled young woman from our world somehow gets transported to Nosgoth during Kain's empire. Trying to get home, she becomes entangled in the struggle between vampires and humans.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: (A proper one) All LoK characters and related material belong to Crystal Dynamics and Eidos.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter One  
  
The story I'm about to tell you may be hard to believe. I wouldn't even believe it myself, if it hadn't of happened to me. But sometimes, the strangest of things can happen for reasons unknown.  
  
My life had seen its ups and downs, but at the time it had happened, I was definitely experiencing one of those 'downs'. The tragic events I had experienced are still fresh in my memory, so I don't like to talk much about it. But, to tell my story, I feel I must begin with the painful loss.  
  
A few months before it happened, my mother had grown sick. She hadn't been well for some time, but she insisted she was fine. Until the seizure. The doctors had informed my father and I that my mother had lung cancer. It was too far-gone to cure, having already spread through her entire body. They gave her a month to live at best. She only lived a week.  
  
My father and I were grief-stricken. My own mother was gone. I couldn't believe it. I was in denial. Depression quickly set in for us both. I was so wrapped up in my own sorrow that my fiancée had given up his attempts to get me to move on with my life. With our life. I had cut myself off to the world, including him.   
  
Sadly, he couldn't continue watching me destroy myself, especially when I didn't even attempt to help myself. He called off our engagement shortly thereafter. Oddly enough, I was so overwhelmed by my mother's passing, that our breaking up hardly even fazed me.  
  
It was then that my friends stepped in. I suppose they were planning a get away for me for a few weeks. They came to me on a Thursday afternoon during the warm summer months and proposed their plan to me. They really weren't giving me a choice, but the idea was to take me up to the lake that weekend to forget about my problems for a little while.  
  
We camped out for a few nights up by the lake. It was quite beautiful. We spent most of the time hiking and canoeing during the day and talking and getting pretty drunk at night. Sunday finally came, and thus marked the end of my weekend away. It had been a very beneficial trip and I was in great appreciation to my friends.  
  
My spirits had been lifted a bit and during the long car trip home, I vowed I would give my ex-fiancée a call to patch up our relationship. When we returned to one of my friend's apartment, it had gotten late, and a rainstorm had rolled in. I insisted on driving home, rather than stay the night, like my friend suggested. Had I known what was to come shortly thereafter, I would have taken her up on her offer.  
  
Though I was drowsy, I insisted I was awake enough to drive. I only lived about a half an hour's drive from her home anyway. Reluctantly, she let me leave and wished me luck. About halfway through the drive home, I was definitely feeling exhausted, and I was struggling not to nod off. I rolled down the window a crack to let the cool night air brush my face, but that only made me sleepier.  
  
I snapped my head up once again from the verge of unconsciousness. When I refocused on the road ahead of me, my heart froze. A group of four or five deer had happened to cross the road here, and I was headed straight at them at fifty miles an hour. Instinct kicked in and I slammed on the brake and clenched the wheel, swerving towards the left.  
  
Full of fear, I clenched my eyes shut as the world around me spun into chaos. I could feel my car spin out from behind me on the rain-slicked roads and I was no longer going forward. I felt a rough bump, but knew it wasn't from hitting one of those deer. Instead, it felt more like I had skidded off the road.   
  
My car, still spinning, violently slid over the rough dirt and rocks. I'm not sure how far my car went off the road, or how fast I had been going when it happened. But suddenly, my car jerked to a halt. The crash forced my forehead into my steering wheel and everything went dark.  
  
The next thing I knew, morning had arrived. I slowly lifted my throbbing head from my steering wheel. Somehow, my hands had remained clutched on the wheel during the entire night. As I sat up, I noticed that my neck and back were incredibly sore as well. It was either from injuries from the crash, or just from the way I had awkwardly slept during the night. If you could consider getting knocked out as 'sleep'.  
  
I carefully got out of my car, noticing that the engine had died sometime ago. I'm not sure if it happened during the crash, or while I was out cold. When I got out of my car, the first thing I noticed was the tree pinned up against my rear passenger door. It wasn't a pretty site, but I was glad that the damage from the crash was limited to the door. It wouldn't be cheap to fix, but at least I wouldn't have to worry about buying a brand new car.  
  
I took a look around and I started to get a bit nervous. I didn't recognize anything around me. I had been traveling a route home that I commonly drove. But there was nothing around me. No houses. No cars. Not even the road I had been traveling was there. I followed the skid marks from my tires to see if I could find anything. But after thirty feet or so, the skid marks faded to nothing.  
  
I was getting very nervous. I got back into my car and attempted to start it. If I could get it running, then I could cover more ground when I went to find civilization. Turning the key, I could hear the pathetic whir of the engine as it tried to start. When it faded to silence, I knew there was only one reason for this outcome. The battery was dead. The headlights being on all night must've killed the battery.  
  
Luckily, I had my cell phone with me. I pulled that out of my purse and turned it on. However, there was absolutely no signal whatsoever. I got out of my car, again, hoping I could find somewhere with even the littlest bit of a signal. I walked circles around my car, searching for a signal, but found nothing. Giving up, I turned off my phone. No sense in wasting the battery.  
  
My head was starting to give me a real irritation, so I decided to check my wounds in the rear view mirror. There was a large bruise above my right eyebrow and a small cut that had stopped bleeding during the night. Other than that, and a tremendous headache, I seemed fine. I took a few aspirin from my purse and dry swallowed them, which was terribly unpleasant. But hopefully they would kick in soon to rid me of my migraine.  
  
Unsure as to what I should do next, I got out of my car again and took another look around. I'm not sure why. It was futile to hope that perhaps the road I had been on would suddenly appear from out of nowhere, as if I had just been overlooking it this entire time.  
  
Despair was starting to set in when I heard a faint noise coming from the east. I shielded the sun from my eyes as I studied the horizon. The noise grew louder, and I could barely make out a form moving towards me. As it got larger, I noticed that it was a group of people. The noise grew louder, and I came to recognize it as the sound of horses. My heart leapt for joy. I was finally saved!  
  
The horseback riders grew a bit closer, and I could tell there were six of them. I wasn't a bit surprised that it was horseback riders I had spotted. Way out in the country where I grew up, horses were very common. And now, being in the middle of nowhere with no paved roads around, I assumed that horseback was the most convenient means of travel.  
  
As the riders approached, my joy turned to confusion. These were not horseback riders. Or at least, not by what I would imagine. These guys were all dressed up like medieval knights, complete with armor, swords and crossbows. I wasn't sure if these guys were actors or not. I had been to a renaissance fair once before, but these six men looked so much more realistic than any of the actors I had seen that day at the fair.  
  
"Lady Danielle? Is that really you?" the first knight asked me as he jumped down off his horse. A second knight followed him as they approached me. The remaining four surrounded my car, weapons drawn.  
  
"Milady, please answer me. Are you all right? Did this beast hurt you seriously?" the same knight inquired as he pointed to my car. He removed his helmet to get a better look at me. I was entirely confused by the whole situation. How did this stranger know my name? Well, my true name. I preferred to go by Danni.  
  
The second knight turned his attention from me to the one who had been asking me if I was okay. "Lord Richard, Lady Danielle seems to be dazed by her ordeal. Perhaps we should take her back to the citadel where she may get some rest and some warm food?"  
  
"Yes. That seems to be a good idea, Christopher. Men! Does that beast seem to be of any threat?" Lord Richard replied.  
  
"Nay, Milord! The beast is slain! Lady Danielle must be quite resourceful to have outmatched such a beast, let alone escape from those lecherous vampires!"  
  
"Wait a minute!" I cried out, my senses starting to return to me. "What's going on here? Why are you all dressed so ridiculously? Why do you keep referring to my car as a 'beast'? How do you know my name? And what the hell is this about vampires?"  
  
The knights were silent for a few moments with shock written all over their faces. Finally, the 'Lord Richard' guy spoke up. "Milady, surely the stress has gotten to you. Please, return with us to the citadel. I'm sure your father would be ecstatic to see you well."  
  
"My father?" I wondered aloud, half out of it again. How did they know my father? I decided to amuse these knights and go with them to this 'citadel'. Who knows? Maybe my father really was there. Maybe, after I got there, I would realize that this was all a dream and I would wake up in my father's home. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: All LoK characters and related material belong to Crystal Dynamics and Eidos.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Lord Richard had assisted me onto the front of his horse before climbing up on it behind me. It felt a little awkward at first, having this strange man right behind me with his arms around each side of me to hold the reigns, but I suppose by his nonchalant attitude, it was common to escort a lady in this manner.  
  
We traveled along at a steady pace, not too slow, but not too fast either. We headed towards the east, the direction the knights had come from when I first spotted them. The scenery around us seemed to differ very little. We were in a wide-open field with a few trees here and there. The path we traveled on was discernable from the rest of the field by the worn down grasses from frequent use of travelers.  
  
We eventually entered a mountain range, and continued our eastward path. After about an hour's total travel time, we emerged from the mountains. A sort of cliff-valley opened up to reveal a large stone structure built into the opposite side of the cliff walls. A moat surrounded the front of the structure and a drawbridge was being lowered so that we could enter the strange edifice.  
  
Several guards welcomed our arrival, greeting Lord Richard and his men at the gates. I was too busy taking in my new surroundings to notice everyone around me greeting me with amazement and excitement. I didn't know what all the fuss was about, nor did I really care.  
  
"Please, everyone. Lady Danielle has endured much during the last three days. I'm certain she would much rather be united with her father right now and get some rest. After such, I'm sure she would be more than willing to share with us the tale of her ordeals," Lord Richard attempted to disperse the growing crowd.  
  
Lord Richard cut a path through the crowd, leading me further into this 'citadel'. As we passed by everyone, I noticed that most of the men and older boys were clad in some form of armor or another. The women all seemed to be wearing long flowing dresses. I was quickly feeling out of place in my blue jeans and black tank top.  
  
The knight led me into what I assumed to be the business district of this town. We weaved down the street until coming to a tall building in the middle of what appeared to be the town square. He opened one of the front double doors and motioned me inside.  
  
The inside of the building contradicted the environment outside. The atmosphere outside was very humid and dry with dust blowing around everywhere. In here, it was plush and cool. This building was elaborately decorated. A fancy desk and cushioned seats centered the room while the walls were covered in fully stocked bookshelves. Obviously someone of high class worked here.  
  
"Danielle! My daughter! Thank the heavens you are all right!" a voice, familiar, yet not so familiar at the same time, called out. I turned my head to the left, where a man strikingly identical to my father emerged from a doorway.  
  
"Dad?" I whispered to myself as this man gathered me into a huge embrace. He looked exactly like my father; only this man had grown out a mustache. "Dad? You can cut out the act now. You don't have to play along with these guys any longer. Why are you acting like this anyway? I was only gone with my friends for a few days."  
  
My 'father' suddenly pulled back, shock in his eyes. "My poor Danielle! They have you brainwashed as well! The vampires are not your friends! They kidnapped you to try to force us to surrender!"  
  
"Wait... First, vampires are not real. Second, why would anyone kidnap me?"  
  
My 'father' ignored my first statement and immediately answered my question. "Danielle. Do not go thinking yourself so ordinary. You are my daughter. You are of noble blood. As the governor of the largest human citadel, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of all the citizens of the citadel and that includes you."  
  
Wow. Now that was just something that made my head spin. My father, the one I knew from back home, was indeed into politics. In fact, he was the governor of our small country town. The similarities were just weird.  
  
"Governor Wesley, your daughter has seemed confused and distraught since we found her. Perhaps she should be taken home and have a warm bath drawn up for her," Lord Richard suggested.  
  
"Yes, I believe that is a good idea, Richard. I shall take her home straight away. You have a smart head on your shoulders as well as the strength to match. Perhaps you are the proper suitor for my daughter."  
  
"Thank you, Governor."  
  
My father began to lead me to the exit of what I now assume to be the governor's office. The change in conversation had suddenly sparked my interest. I paused momentarily and turned back to Richard, getting a good look at him for the first time since coming here. I don't know why I didn't see the similarities before.  
  
"Lord Richard..."  
  
"Please, milady. Just call me Richard."  
  
"Okay. Um, Richard. Does your last name happen to be Jefferson?"  
  
"If by last name you mean surname, then yes it is," he answered before turning to my father. "You see, governor? Her memory is already returning!"  
  
"That it is," my father replied before we continued on our way. As we headed towards the upper class residence area, my mind was preoccupied with Lord Richard. I couldn't believe that I didn't realize it before. Richard Jefferson. That is my ex-fiancée's name. Rick...  
  
We soon arrived at our 'home'. My father ordered the maids to start a bath and to lie out some fresh clothes for me. I still didn't understand what was going on around me, and I was afraid that I would lose my mind trying to figure everything out. So instead, I allowed the comforts of the warm bath water to ease my mind. I would just forget everything for now and pretend that none of this was happening.  
  
The bath water was extremely relaxing. So much so that I soon dozed off. While I slept, I remember bits and pieces of a dream I was having. It was confusing to say the least. Glimpses of battle. Two armies battling to the death. Neither side was giving in.   
  
Then everything changed pace. I saw myself being taken far away. I was a prisoner of war and helpless to do anything about it. I had been taken to the fortress of the enemy. It was a church of some sort. A cathedral maybe. But it was surrounded by water. It seemed unnatural, for some reason, for my captors to reside here. But I couldn't figure out why.  
  
The scenes changed again. I was no longer watching myself, but was now experiencing everything firsthand. I was gagged and bound and lying on a hard stone floor. I could see strangely shaped feet around me. Large feet with only two toes. I could barely make out what appeared to be a throne made of stone, before the most revolting face obscured my view.  
  
"Such a foolish child. You should know that if you play with fire, you are bound to get burned," the hideous face said to me before everything faded into darkness.  
  
"Milady! Please, if you do not come out of there, you will catch your death of cold!" one of the maids woke me with a start. I guess I had been asleep for quite some time since I had been shivering from the cold water.  
  
"May I have some privacy please?"  
  
"Of course, milady. My apologies," the maid quickly left the room for me to change. After drying off, I went over to the clothing that had been left for me. To my dismay, it was one of those long flowing dresses I had come to see the noblewomen of this town wear.   
  
I had been an extreme tomboy growing up, and still have the influences of one running in my veins. So wearing dresses all the time was not going to be a big thrill. Nonetheless, it was a dark blue color, which I deemed tolerable, so I slipped the garment on.   
  
Afterward, I wandered through the large mansion of my new home, until I came across the aroma of freshly cooked food, and stumbled towards the dining hall. It was there that I found my father, who had been in counsel with a few officials, including Richard.  
  
"Ah, Danielle! You have come to join us! Are you feeling a bit better?" my father inquired.  
  
"Yes, I do feel somewhat better," I impishly replied as I approached the table. Richard held a seat out for me, which was something I'm not entirely used to. Sure, my Rick back home was sweet and kind to me, but modern society has had a way of taking away certain courting rituals such as holding a lady's chair for her.  
  
"Please, Danielle. Tell us how you managed to get away from those vampires," my father insisted. His audience seemed rather intrigued as well, making me feel very uncomfortable as the center of attention.  
  
I cleared my throat, knowing that this would be probably the biggest bunch of bull I would ever speak. "Well, it went kind of like this..." 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: The LoK characters and related material are property of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Three  
  
My father and his councilmen waited patiently for me to begin the tale of my 'abduction'. The only people who had kidnapped me thus far were these people, but I wasn't about to let that slip out of my mouth for fear of creating a hostile situation. So I opted to play along into this role I found myself acting out.  
  
"Well, the vampires... they kidnapped me, right?" I just wanted to confirm the absurdity of it all. I saw my father nod his head slightly. "Well, um... I remember this really tall church-like place. I don't know... a citadel, perhaps." I decided to reference the dream I had had a few moments ago. Perhaps it would be convincing....  
  
"Ah, the silent cathedral!" one of the nobles interrupted. Perfect. It was working. "Avernus Cathedral! The Zephonim captured that sacred human refuge centuries ago!"  
  
Okay, now we're getting somewhere. "Yes! That's the one!" I pretended to get all excited. "They took me there! They had my arms bound and they locked me up in a room near the top of the cathedral."  
  
"Did they hurt you at all?" Richard asked worriedly. Wow, this 'version' of my fiancée was too much like a fairy-tale prince, or 'knight in shining armor'.  
  
"Uh, no. I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure? How did you get that cut above your eye?"  
  
"Oh! That was from after I escaped!" I lied.  
  
"Please, Richard. Allow her to speak," my father begged.  
  
"Well, I was there at this cathedral for about a day, I think. Then at night, they took me elsewhere. I'm not sure where it was. I don't remember much. All I remember is this big stone throne and a man with a hideously deformed face. His dark veins protruded from his face, which seemed to have been tinted green."  
  
"My gods! Is it Kain you speak of?" my father inquired fearfully. I wasn't sure how to answer him. I didn't know who this 'Kain' guy was. What if it wasn't him who I had seen in my dream? What if it was?  
  
"I... I don't know. I couldn't see him very well. But he said something to me. He said if I played with fire, I would get burned. I guess it was a warning, I suppose."  
  
"So how did you get away?" one of the noblemen eagerly asked.  
  
I had to really start making this up now, as my dream had ended there. "Um, well, someone else was told to take me into their custody. We were heading towards the west, I think," I said west because I knew this place was towards the east, but I think it was a mistake that I had said that.  
  
"West! Towards the Razielim clans? They were taking you there? If you could not escape from the Zephonim, however did you escape from the Razielim?" my father cried.  
  
I'm guessing that the 'Razielim' were obviously worse than the 'Zephonim', making my story more farfetched than I had originally intended. Well, the entire thing was ridiculous anyways. Who fearfully believed in vampires nowadays anyway? Besides, I was here in front of them now, so they'd have to believe me.  
  
"Um, well we were traveling again, by night. We had been traveling quite a ways already and my captors suddenly stopped and grew still. I hadn't a clue what was going on. Suddenly, there were people everywhere, attacking the vampires. It was all chaos and I broke away from the frenzy.   
  
"I ran until the sounds of battle were far behind me. I only stopped running momentarily to cut the binds on my hands before I continued on. When dawn broke, I finally stopped, allowing myself to sleep for a few hours. Then I continued traveling east for several hours, until Richard and his men found me."  
  
"That's quite an amazing tale," one of the noblemen commented.  
  
"Yes. Thank the heavens that our allies to the east courageously went to battle against the Razielim. If not for them, milady would not be here in the safety of the citadel," replied another. Good. They bought my story.  
  
However, I was troubled by the recollection of my dream. As I retold it in my story, the noblemen actually knew what it was I was describing, and I had never seen the people or places in my dream before. I was worried that perhaps my dream was more like a prediction. If you've ever had a dream about doing something that turned out to be true, but you don't realize you've dreamt about doing it until it's actually happening and it seems all like déjà vu, then you know what I'm talking about.  
  
After telling my story, the nobles left, leaving Richard, my father and myself in the dining hall. I got a little bit of food in me, while my father and Richard discussed certain matters. I really wasn't paying attention to them, just nodding and agreeing with them whenever they directed a question towards me.  
  
"Then it is settled," my father announced with finality, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Tonight there shall be a celebration! A party to celebrate Danielle's return to us and to honor the engagement of my daughter to the finest knight and noblemen of the citadel! It will be an honor to have you as my son-in-law, Richard."  
  
WHAT? What had I agreed to? I couldn't marry him! I'm already engaged! Or at least I was. Well, to his counterpart anyway. No, this wasn't right. I had really got to start paying attention to people. I had no idea how I was going to get out of this one.  
  
As my father made preparations for tonight's party, he ordered the maids to begin preparing me for the party as well. This wasn't a very pleasant experience. The maids fussed all over me, not even allowing me to dress myself. They tied this garter really tight around my stomach and ribs, which was extremely painful. They threw the dress on over my head and began to make last minute stitches so the dress would fit my form.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like hours, they were done nit-picking my dress. I went down to see my father, who was busy overseeing the preparations. "Da- Father?" I interrupted his instructions to some of the chefs.  
  
"Danielle! You look lovely! What seems to be troubling you, dear?"  
  
"I want to ask you something that's been bothering me," I replied, leading him to the study where we could have some privacy. It was a very emotion subject I was about to ask him. "My mother... where is she?" I had hoped that maybe in this world, she was still alive.  
  
However, the mix of sorrow and anger in my father's eyes clued me in that that was not the case. "You don't remember..." my father began sadly. "Your trials over the past few days have caused your memory to still be distorted."  
  
"Just tell me."  
  
"Your mother. She died a few months ago. The vampires ambushed the caravan she was traveling with. They killed her. Do you remember anything about it?"  
  
Vampires. That was just great. I could feel the anger build up inside of me. Not at vampires, but at my father. Such a ridiculous story. I couldn't take it any longer and I snapped.   
  
"Vampires!? That's bullshit! That's the most ridiculous lie I've ever heard! There are no such things as vampires! I have yet to see one since falling onto this backwater world! My mother died of lung cancer! Not some stupid vampire bite!"  
  
I was so caught up in my rage that I didn't notice the silent anger brewing in my father. With a swiftness that took me off guard, he backhanded me across the face. It stung slightly, but it was more the shock than the blow itself that stunned me to silence. My dad back home would never have raised a hand to me.  
  
"Danielle! What has gotten into you? Are you defending those vile, blood-sucking beasts now? What have they done to you? You have not acted like yourself since Richard rescued you! You carry yourself like a commoner, you are under the illusion that the vampire menace doesn't exist and you have been giving Richard the cold shoulder since he found you!"  
  
"Dad, I'm sorry..."  
  
"And what is this word, 'dad'? Is it some sort of vampire term? I am your father! Call me as such! Now, we have a party to prepare for. Let us not discuss this any further, alright?"  
  
"Yes, father."  
  
"Good. I shall see you when the party starts. And please. Wear a smile. This is a joyous occasion." On that note, my father left, leaving me alone in the study to think about what had just transpired. 


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: LoK characters and related material belong to Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Interactive.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Everything seemed too coincidental. My father, in both worlds, was governor of a town. My mother had died only a few months beforehand. And I even had been dating (or courting in this world) the same man. It was just too bizarre. I began to wonder, if I was here in the place of the Danielle Wesley they all knew, then where was the real Danielle Wesley of this world?  
  
"Milady, the party has started and the guests await your appearance," one of the maids interrupted my train of thought. I had remained in my father's study for somewhere around an hour.  
  
"Thank you. Tell my father I shall be there in a moment."  
  
"Yes, milady."  
  
The maid left. I stood up and let out a frustrated sigh. I wasn't sure how this evening would unfold. I had never been to any formal event other than my senior prom, but the formalities of a room filled with teenagers ends with the fancy dresses and tuxedos. High-class etiquette was something I was a complete stranger to.  
  
Well, it was now or never. It took all my confidence to leave the study. In contrast to the quiet, dimly lit little room, I was faced with the vast ballroom, elaborately decorated, fully illuminated, packed with patrons, voices and classical music filling my ears. I could feel fear rise up within me. I didn't realize how large of an event this would turn out to be.  
  
"Danielle! How wonderful of you to have joined us!" my father noticed my arrival almost immediately. His voice had an overjoyed tone, but I could pick up the trace of sarcasm hidden deep within the words. He wasn't thrilled that I was late.  
  
Instantly, my father escorted me throughout the room as he introduced me to some of his colleagues. Nobles and other high-ranking officials he was associated with. Eventually we came to the head table, where the 'guests of honor' sat. This meant myself and Richard, whom took my hand as he led me to my seat. Unexpectedly, he placed a gentle kiss on my hand as I sat down. As I said before, he was too much like a fairy-tale prince.  
  
The time seemed to drag by. The entire party seemed to be just a bunch of snotty rich men gossiping amongst themselves while listening to the most boring music I had ever heard. The music definitely needed a livelier beat. The musicians changed their tunes with the end of one song and the beginning of a new one.  
  
"Lady Danielle, would you care to dance?" Richard inclined. My eyes widened in sudden horror. Why hadn't I realized this before? I was at a formal party, and I didn't know how to dance! To me, ballroom dancing consisted of slowly moving in circles in a sort of hug embrace.  
  
"Um, I think I'd rather not," I sheepishly declined.  
  
"But milady, you are the most talented dancer in the entire citadel! There is no reason for you to be shy! Show off your talents!"  
  
This was exactly why I wasn't going to dance. "Don't you know vanity is one of the seven deadly sins?"  
  
"Danielle, don't be preposterous! It isn't vain if you've spent years perfecting a certain skill! Is it vain for a blacksmith to bestow a preciously crafted sword to his lord as a gift? Is a farmer vain for demonstrating his perfectly bred and trained steed?"  
  
"I suppose not."  
  
"Then come! Let us celebrate this occasion with a dance around the ballroom floor!"  
  
"I- I can't. I- my legs are sore from the long distance I had to travel on foot," I lied. I was beginning to feel guilty for lying to Richard. He had been nothing but super sweet to me since my arrival. But I knew this wasn't right. I had my Rick back home. And Richard had his true Danielle somewhere. I was certain of it.  
  
"Why did you not say so earlier? I feel like such a fool for trying to pressure you like so. Please, forgive me, my love."  
  
"I- I gotta go." I bolted up out of my seat, leaving Richard totally confused at my behavior. I just couldn't take this any longer. I wasn't going to live this lie any more. I wasn't their Danielle. I am Danni. Not Danielle. I ran out of the ballroom and headed towards my bedroom on the second floor.  
  
Once there, I searched the room for my old clothes, the blue jeans and black tank top I had arrived here wearing. I didn't care how out of place I would look wearing them. At least I would feel comfortable. I struggled to get the skintight dress off of me and I had an even harder time with the garter. But eventually, after a little tearing, the restrictive garments came off.  
  
With my true clothes on, I headed out the back of the mansion and ran down the dark streets. Everything looked so different at nighttime. Nothing looked familiar, but following street signs, I was able to find my way towards the entrance of the citadel, only taking a wrong turn twice. Finally, I reached the gateway.  
  
Unfortunately, there was a guard patrolling the area. I knew for certain that he wouldn't let me leave. Luckily, there was a rock about the size of a cantaloupe nearby. When the guard turned his back, I quietly snuck over to the gate, and picked up the rock. I snuck up behind him, and just as he was about to turn back towards me, I brought the rock down on his head. He slumped to the ground, instantly knocked unconscious.  
  
I ran over to the gate, looking for a way to open it. After a moment, I found a lever and pulled it. Success! The gate slowly slid open from left to right. Impatient, I only waited long enough for the gate to have opened enough for me to fit through before I escaped. However, there was still the matter of the drawbridge to contend with. Three guards were patrolling this obstacle. My previous tactics would not work here.  
  
"Milord! There she is!" a voice from behind me called out. I snapped my head back to see Christopher pointing at me, with Richard by his side and three other knights just behind them. The guards protecting the drawbridge were alerted by Christopher's call and thus noticed my presence.  
  
"Lady Danielle! Why have you come this way at this time of night? Why aren't you attending your party?" one of the guards inquired. I didn't bother answering him. Instead, I bolted down the hallway and ran up the stairs into the second story hallway towards one of the watchtowers. Richard and his men followed suit.  
  
Pure fear filled my being at the thought that they might catch me and keep me locked here forever. They were quickly gaining ground. The poor lighting of the dark night sky turned out to betray me, for I was unable to see the end of the hallway until it was too late. On one side were solid stonewalls. On the other were Richard and his men.  
  
"Lady Danielle, what has gotten into you? You are acting irrationally!" Richard called out to me. Sure, call me irrational. But first let me lock YOU in a cage with little hope of escape and see if YOU don't act irrational.  
  
Richard approached me and I pressed myself up against the cold stone behind me. I could see only one other option than to go willingly into Richard's custody. And that answer was to my right. The open watchtower window, fifty feet above the cold waters of the moat below. I inched my way towards freedom.  
  
Richard must have realized my intentions by now. "Danielle, please don't attempt what I think you wish to attempt. The fall could be fatal!"  
  
I'll just take that chance. Just as Richard got within distance to lunge at me, I leapt out the open window and fell down through the darkness into the murky water below. The impact with the water was somewhat painful and the coldness of the water stung at me like pins and needles. After a moment or two, I surfaced the water, catching my breath. I could tell that the swift current had already begun to pull me downstream, for the watchtower was now some distance from me.  
  
Between the waves, I could make out torches moving in my direction along the second story wall. But no matter. They would not catch up with me. As I drifted down stream, I realized that the moat was actually a river, conveniently placed there by nature. Before I knew it, the citadel walls were in the distance and all I could hear was the current of the water. I allowed myself to drift further downstream.   
  
After some time passed, I noticed the water seemed to grow louder. The current seemed to grow stronger as well. I could not see what lie up ahead until I was about five feet from the source. I had allowed myself to drift towards a waterfall! Unable to fight the current, I found myself being swept over the edge.  
  
It was a long drop, but it didn't seem as high as the drop from the citadel. I plunged into the water below. When I surfaced, the falling water from above pelted my head. The current down here was much calmer, and I was able to pull myself to shore. After coughing up a bit of water, I collapsed onto the ground and passed out shortly thereafter. 


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: All LoK characters belong to Crystal Dynamics.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Five  
  
I had slept through most of the night. But it wasn't a soundless sleep, I can tell you that. As I slept, I had experienced more of those same weird dreams again.  
  
At first, it seemed I was watching myself again. I watched as two heavily armored men took me from a prison cell and led me somewhere. I was curious as to what was going on, so I followed. I realized they couldn't sense my presence there. I followed as the guards took my dream self up several stories and into a large chamber.  
  
I slunk to one of the far walls, staying out of the way, yet still having a good view of the events unfolding. Although they couldn't see me, I still felt safer off to the side. I watched the guards throw my dream self to the floor before taking posts at the only exit. My dream self rose to her feet, fear in her eyes.  
  
Suddenly, a third man appeared from the shadows, but he was different from the two guards. He wore less armor and held a rather arrogant posture. I suppose he was of high ranking. One thing about him kind of caught my attention; the long, gray drape that hung from his shoulder. It had a symbol on it, looking kind of like a horizontal line with two fangs protruding downward.  
  
This man approached my dream self as she cowered in fear. She knelt down to her knees and bowed her head in submission, an obvious sign that she acknowledged his dominance over her.  
  
"Please... Please milord, do not kill me. I beg of you," I could barely hear her mutter. Her voice did not sound like mine. She had this noble accent to her words. I began to wonder...  
  
The man suddenly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to meet his gaze. He scrutinized her for a moment before dropping her on the ground. "Cowardly wench! Is this how the daughter of a human governor acts? No matter. Kain shall be quite pleased with the bargaining chip my men happened to stumble upon. Return her to her cell! We shall be leaving for the sanctuary when night falls."  
  
"Yes Lord Zephon," the guards answered.  
  
Kain! Zephon! My father- er... the governor... had said that those were the names of some of the 'vampires'. I watched helplessly as the guards towed away the girl that looked like me. I wasn't sure, but I think she was the Danielle of this world.  
  
My dream changed then, and I could no longer reflect on the identity of the girl. I now found myself being the one hauled around by guards. Only I was no longer in the same building as the first part of my dream. It wasn't as dark here and everything was on the same level. No climbing flights of stairs.  
  
I was taken to this large room. There were these jagged pillar things that stood roughly ten feet high, surrounding a throne. A hideous man sat complacently on the throne. I recognized him from my previous dreams. Around him, stood six men. They all dressed similarly, including a shoulder drape, but each one was of a different color with a different symbol.   
  
My eyes momentarily caught the familiar gray draped man. Zephon. I was ushered past him and then shoved onto the ground. I scuffed up my palms on the hard, stone floor. I began to lift myself up when I saw those two-toed feet obscure my vision.  
  
"Now what do you think you were trying to accomplish by trying to escape, Lady Danielle?" a deep voice rang in my ears. I looked up to meet the gaze of the ugly one. He stood over me with an expression that I was lower than dog meat. I glared at him. This caused him to snatch me up by the collar of my shirt.  
  
"Do you wish to challenge me, Lady Danielle?"  
  
"I am not Lady Danielle. My name is Danni," I growled threw gritted teeth. I had no idea why I was being so defiant. I felt deep inside that it would only get me hurt.  
  
He snickered. "It's funny, how you look just like Lady Danielle."  
  
"It's funny, how you are as ignorant as you are ugly," I countered.   
  
This enraged him. His smirk turned into a scowl and he backhanded me with his free hand. The blow stung viciously, and I found myself back on the ground again. The strength behind that blow was mind-boggling. He must have pulled his punch; otherwise I think my head wouldn't still be attached to my shoulders.  
  
I tried to get up, but before I could, I saw his feet in my vision again. His face came down to meet mine and he growled a warning to me. "Such a foolish child. You should know that if you play with fire, you are bound to get burned." With that, the dreams ended.  
  
My eyes fluttered open. Gray, cloudy skies hung overhead, but I could tell that it was daytime. I sat up. My head was pounding. I instantly remembered what had happened the night before upon taking in my surroundings. I found myself sitting at the edge of a small pond at the base of a waterfall. A small river flowed away from the pond towards places unknown.  
  
A cliff bordered one side of the pond, where the waterfall fell. Trees and shrubbery lined another side, and an open field surrounded the rest. I stood up, noting that my jeans were still very damp and my shoes were soaked. Most of my shirt had dried during the night, but it was caked in dirt. I felt so filthy. And my wet jeans were chaffing my legs.  
  
I walked towards the open field trying to make out anything in the distance. Nothing. No horses. No knights. And thankfully, no citadel. As I was about to turn away from the field, I did notice one thing; a path worn into the field from use of travelers.   
  
It struck me as odd, and I turned back to face the waterfall, taking in the entire view. Yes, I recognized this place! We had passed by this waterfall on the way to the citadel. It wasn't too far from where my car was 'parked'. The waterfall had been a distance away when I had seen it, so I didn't take much interest in it beforehand. It was also why I didn't recognize this place any sooner.  
  
I decided my best option would be to try to find my car. Even if I still couldn't get it running, at least I had some clothes in there. They were dirty from my camping trip, but at least they were dry. However, traveling in the open field meant risking being found by Richard and his men again. But it would be worth it.  
  
I headed out into the field. The tall grasses and weeds seemed slightly withered and yellowed. Must be a really dry year, or lack of sun. I came near to the dirt path, but decided to stay off of it. Better chances of hiding in the grass should someone happen to come along.  
  
Based on the location of the path to the waterfall, I quickly figured out which way was west and began to head in that direction. Hopefully it wouldn't take long to find my car. After some time, the temperature began to rise and with the cloud cover, it made for a nasty greenhouse effect. My wet jeans were really beginning to burn the insides of my legs. It was pure torture.  
  
Just when I was on the brink of giving up and letting my corpse rot and fester in the hot fields, I caught a glimpse of bright blue in the middle of yellow-green. It was my car! I could not believe my eyes! All the pain and misery I had been enduring for the last hour had been instantly forgotten as I bolted for my car.  
  
I ran to within about fifty paces of my vehicle, when I suddenly noticed horses and about eight men surrounding my car. I froze in my tracks. They hadn't seen me yet so I ducked down in the grass and watched momentarily as I saw them walking around my car. I didn't recognize any of these men, and they didn't dress like anyone from the citadel.  
  
Somehow, one of them had figured out how to open the doors. I hadn't locked my car, so I don't suppose it was too difficult. But then again, those knights thought my car was some wild beast. I watched as they began taking stuff out of my car and pilfering through it.   
  
This enraged me. I went into 'someone's violating my property and I'm not going to let them get away with it' mode. I rose out of my hiding spot and stormed over towards them. When I was about twenty feet from them, they noticed my presence.  
  
"What the hell are you doing with my shit?" I demanded loud and clear. It was at this moment that I realized my mistake. The men all drew swords from their sheaths and held them at me. I stopped in my tracks, but held my ground.  
  
"Milord, what shall we do with this human wench?" one of the men asked aloud. I was not sure who he was directing the question towards, as they all seemed to be dressed similarly. There was no indication as to who was the superior 'officer'.  
  
Suddenly, a ninth man revealed himself from behind one of the horses. He was less armored and to my surprise, he was wearing one of those drape thingies from his shoulder! It was a deep blue and the symbol looked like a 'T' with a hook on the bottom.   
  
He had been thumbing through one of my old college books I had left behind in my car. His attention slowly turned from the book to me. He handed the book to one of his men and studied me for several long moments. Finally, he gave his order.  
  
"Capture her alive. And do be careful with her. I believe she has much information to divulge to us." 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: LoK belongs to Crystal Dynamics. (Disclaimer keeps getting shorter...)  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Six  
  
"Capture her alive. And do be careful with her. I believe she has much information to divulge to us."  
  
Okay, so these armored men were going to try to take me prisoner. They started to close in on me with their swords still drawn. Well, I didn't escape from one fiasco just to wind up in the middle of another. I turned and ran, thinking I could get away. I always felt I was a fast runner. But I was wrong.  
  
I got about five steps when I felt something knock into my back really hard. I tripped from the force and fell flat on my face. I tried to get up, but someone's foot was firmly placed on my back. A moment later, as several feet filled my view, the foot on my back relinquished its hold and I was hefted to my feet by three of these armored men.  
  
They dragged me towards their leader. He had returned to thumbing through my book. I have no idea why. It was a boring calculus book. We barely ever used it for class. The professor only used it for a few assignments. Biggest waste of $120 in my life. Anyway, he snapped the book shut and approached me.  
  
"What do you want from me?" I demanded. I was starting to get really annoyed. Ever since coming here, I have had nothing but men push and pull me around. All I wanted was to find someway to get back home.  
  
The guy with the blue drape spoke. "First, I wish to know why you believe these things belong to you."  
  
"Because they do, obviously."  
  
"I think not. These things are in my clan lands, therefore, they belong to me."  
  
"Oh, I see the law of 'Finders-keepers, Losers-weepers' applies in this world as well?" I sarcastically replied. This caused the leader guy to look puzzled.  
  
"What do you mean by 'this world'?"  
  
Oops. I had said too much. "Nothing. It's not what I meant to say." He didn't believe me, and I knew it. It was hard to deny what had just slipped from my mouth with my car sitting two feet from me. His eyes narrowed at me.  
  
"I have a feeling you are lying to me. I wouldn't recommend continuing to do so, as you might end up in a situation you would prefer not to find yourself in."  
  
"Well, no offense, but I have no idea who you are, where I am, and what the hell is going on. I'm not really in the mood for story telling and I just want to leave this place."  
  
"Fine, then we won't remain here. We shall return to the stronghold."  
  
I think he was confused by what I meant when I said I wanted to leave. I wanted to leave this world. Not go with him on some day trip. But I could always hope that he wasn't planning on bringing me with him. "Are you going to let me go?" I hoped.  
  
"No. You are coming with us. And when you ARE 'in the mood for story telling' then I will be more than happy to listen." He climbed up onto his horse, as did three of his men. The remaining five stayed on the ground, surrounding me to prevent my escape. Goody. I get to walk some more. We took to the north.  
  
Turns out my car was much closer to this guy's 'stronghold' than it was to the citadel. This stronghold was like a fairy-tale castle caught up in a nightmare. You could tell there was once beauty in his place, but in the dark atmosphere, there was an overwhelming feeling of dread.  
  
I don't know if it was caused by nature or by a manmade occurrence, but the surrounding areas of the castle had flooded with water. We crossed over a bridge and entered the stronghold on the second floor. We passed by a flight of stairs that led down to the first floor. Looking down the dark stairway, I could tell the first floor was flooded under about three feet of water.  
  
"We have tried to stop the flooding, but it seems every time we seal one leak, two more develop elsewhere," the leader guy replied to me out of the blue. He must have noticed my curious gaze towards the water below. I don't know why, if I were his prisoner, he would take to conversing with me. Then again, he could just be trying to seem friendly to get me to talk.  
  
We walked down a long corridor before climbing a set of stairs to the third floor. Once there, we (again) traveled down a long hallway. Suddenly, my 'escorts' stopped. The leader guy opened an almost hidden doorway to the left. I wouldn't have even noticed it was there, had he not unlocked the door. I wondered how many more doors were like this in this 'stronghold'.  
  
Leader guy gestured me into the room. I followed while the two remaining guards waited outside. "This is where you shall stay until further notice." I looked around and to my amazement, this did not seem like a prisoner's cell or anything like that at all. However, the 'accommodations' offered to me did not provide much comfort. "Be warned. My hospitality comes at a cost..." leader guy said as he left the room.  
  
The door slammed shut behind him, but I could make out the conversations on the reverse side of the door. He instructed the two guards to keep watch outside the door so that I wouldn't try to escape. That was just perfect. Then I heard the scuffling of feet growing louder as someone approached.  
  
"Master Rahab! Lord Turel has been awaiting your arrival! He waits in the conference room for you!" a timid voice announced.  
  
"Thank you. I shall be there in a moment," leader guy, or Rahab as I have just found out, answered. Then he instructed the guards to notify him should I be willing to talk. After hearing Rahab leave, the guards began to converse between themselves, but I was not interested in their small talk.  
  
I turned my attention from the door and began to inspect my 'room'. My eyes instantly noticed the two large windows in the room. Though the shutters were closed, I knew there would be plenty of room for me to fit through the windows and elicit an escape. That is, if the ground wasn't too far down.  
  
I ran over to the first window, but when I attempted to open the shutters, I found to my dismay that the shutters had been nailed shut. The second window was the same. The windows were sealed so perfectly tight that no amount of light could pass through. How bizarre was that?  
  
Well, escape through the windows was a bust. I flopped down on the bed and released a heavy sigh. How was I going to escape? Maybe I could hide and pretend that I escaped and when the guards went looking for me, then I really would escape? I looked around for any hiding places within the room, but found nothing. Only the bed and a table furnished this room. Besides, the guards would know I never left the room. They are watching the only exit.  
  
Wait... I'll compromise! Tell them whatever they want, so long as they let me go and take me back to my car! I sprung to my feet, prepared to call for the guards and 'give in', but suddenly the door flew open. In the doorway stood Rahab, and another drape wearing guy. This guy wore a green drape. The symbol on it looked kind of weird. I'm not really sure how to describe it...  
  
"Uh, hello?" I stammered. Rahab entered the room followed by the other one. I backed up a few paces as they approached me.  
  
"So, are we feeling a little bit more social? Or do we have to resort to other methods to get you to talk?" Rahab inquired while the other one snickered. I didn't like this new one. He continued to look me up and down, making me feel very uncomfortable. Rahab may have been trying to threaten me, but at least he seemed more civil than this new guy.  
  
"Still refusing?" Rahab retorted at my silence. "Then perhaps I shall leave you alone with my over enthused elder brother for some time. Turel, you may do as you please..."  
  
"With pleasure."  
  
"No! That's okay! I was about to let the guards know that I was ready to tell you everything I know!"  
  
A large grin slowly grew over Rahab's face, while a disappointed scowl filled Turel's. God, I'm glad I managed to dodge THAT bullet. Rahab then lifted the book he had in his arms and held it out to me. I noticed it was my calculus book.  
  
"Explain this to me," Rahab demanded.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tell me what these symbols mean." He pointed at the word 'Calculus' with a claw-finger. Claw-finger? How did I not notice that before? He was looking rather impatient, and his demand confused me.  
  
"What do you mean 'symbols'? The letters on the book? Can't you read them?" I wondered. Rahab's face suddenly scowled and turned red with anger as Turel struggled not to burst out laughing. I didn't understand what was so funny.  
  
"What's the matter, Rahab? Is it too complicated for you to read?" Turel's snickers grew out of control, and Rahab snapped at him.  
  
"You know I can read! But these symbols are not written in the common tongue! It isn't even written in the language of the ancients!"  
  
I was now even more confused. "But you can speak English." Rahab turned and gave me a look that said 'explain'. "English...it's a language. You're speaking it now. That word is written in English."  
  
Rahab seemed a bit calmer, though still just as impatient. "No. I speak the common language. As are we all. Now tell me. What does this say?" Turel began another fit of laughter, which Rahab dismissed with a momentary sideways glare.  
  
"Before we discuss the book, we have to make an agreement." I insisted.  
  
Turel calmed himself so that he wouldn't miss anything. Rahab raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Is that so?" For some reason, he seemed humored that I would demand anything from him. But I guess his curiosity got the best of him. With a chuckle, he replied, "Well, then. State your terms." 


	7. Chapter Seven with Review Responses

Hey everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I appreciate all the reviews! I'm finding that I can't write fast enough for all the demands for more!  
  
Lilith:  
  
Thanks for all the positive feedback! I'm glad that you feel everyone is in character, including Danni. Oh, and what's with not being able to post new stories for a while? (sigh) Anyways, here's a truckload of sugar to fuel your bouncing fits! And some s'mores while you're waiting for the next post!  
  
Demon:  
  
Uh, yeah... Of course I knew Turel's cape was green... Actually, it was going on 3 a.m. when I was finishing the last chapter, so I made a little mistake. Oops. Thanks for pointing it out though. I fixed it as soon as I read your review. Oh, and thanks for the Slipknot tips, but I think I'll just steer clear of their concerts. Too scary.  
  
Silmuen:  
  
Thanks for your support! I'm glad you are enjoying my fic and that you are finding it easy to read. Thanks!  
  
Okay... Now that that's out of my system... On with the fic!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own LoK.  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
"Here's my request," I began, with Rahab and Turel listening intently. "First, I want some of my clothes from my car."  
  
"What's a 'car'?" Turel interrupted.  
  
"That big blue metal thing that Rahab and his men were poking their heads into."  
  
"A reasonable request," Rahab replied. He ordered a few of his men to go to my car to get my things. That was easy. "What else?"  
  
"I'll answer a question for you, but in return, you have to answer a question for me."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"No. Once you're satisfied, you have to return me to my car. Is it a deal?"  
  
Turel interrupted. "Sure. We'll let you go... once I'm satisfied..." He began rubbing his claws together while staring at me. Mental note: pick out baggy pants and long sleeved hooded sweatshirt from my dufflebag.  
  
"I'm not talking to you. I'm making this deal with Rahab."  
  
A sort of devilish smile spread upon Rahab's face. "Sure. We shall return you to your 'car' once I am satisfied with your answers." I was kind of weary of Rahab's willingness to give in to my demands. But unable to figure out what he could be conniving; I shook the uneasy feeling away.  
  
"Good. Now I believe you were wondering what that book says," I began the information swap. "It says 'Calculus'. It's a mathematics book."  
  
Rahab began to thumb through the book once again. "Interesting..."  
  
"Where is this place?"  
  
Rahab looked up at me curiously. "Silly girl. We are in my stronghold, of course. That was a wasted question." Turel began to snicker.  
  
"No. I mean, what country are we in?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I believe it is my turn to ask a question. Since you know our names, what is yours?"  
  
"First, you're a jerk. Second, my name is Danni. Now, what country are we in?"  
  
Rahab narrowed his eyes at me at the insult, but didn't comment about it. I suppose he didn't know what a 'jerk' was. He answered my question. "Country. Hmm... Well, human countries no longer exist. So to best answer your question, we are in Nosgoth, ruled solely by Lord Kain, himself."  
  
Nosgoth? That wasn't the name of anyplace I'd ever heard of. But I did find out a little bit more of this 'Kain' character. Guess if I want to find my way home, I'd have to contact him.  
  
"That 'car' of yours... What is its purpose?" Rahab snapped me from my thoughts.  
  
"A car is a type of transportation. Like, I see you guys all running around on horses and stuff. Well, a car is much faster and much more efficient than a horse. And it's much more complicated. Where can I find Kain?"  
  
A fit of laughter burst from both Rahab and Turel's lips. "Why in the world would a human WISH to find Kain?" Turel inquired.  
  
"None of your business! Just answer my question! We had a deal!"  
  
Rahab's laughter subsided. "The sanctuary of the clans lies to the south of here. That is one place where one might find Kain. Now, you had previously said something that caught my curiosity. I state you as saying 'in this world'. What did you mean by that?"  
  
Oh, great. He had remembered me saying that. Well, fine. I would tell him. Like he would believe me anyway. "I'm not from around here, as you can tell by my book and my car. I'm not sure how I got into this 'Nosgoth' place, but I'm from a country called the United States. Ever hear of it?"  
  
Rahab and Turel both shook their heads 'no'. "This book and that 'car' seem to be quite advanced... How did you come to acquire these things?" Rahab inquired.  
  
"Wait! It's my turn to ask the question!"  
  
"No, it's not," Turel had to put his two cents in again. "You asked us a question already. You wanted to know if we had ever heard of this 'United States'."  
  
"That's not fair! That doesn't count!"  
  
"Oh, but it IS a question, and you DID ask it, therefore it DOES count," Turel insisted.  
  
Oh, I was so angry. I couldn't believe they would count a confirmation as a question. I suppose I would have to be careful how I worded my sentences from here on out. I gave in to their query. "I bought them."  
  
Rahab's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "That's preposterous! These are not items that one can just purchase at a whim! I have never before seen anything like that 'car' before! Let alone in human hands! And you could afford these elaborate things?"  
  
"Um, I believe you already asked a question, making it my turn. I'll answer you anyway, but I get two questions instead." Ha! I had outsmarted them this time! Rahab's expression told me that I had caught him in his own game. "Yes, they belong to me and I could afford them. First question. Why do you keep using the term 'human'? Second. What's with the claws and weird clothing?"  
  
They both looked at me with looks of disbelief. "What? What did I say?" I wondered.  
  
"Are you really THAT clueless? Or are you just ignorant?" Turel asked of me. He was being sincere, and that ticked me off more so than if he had been taunting me.  
  
"Would I have asked if I already knew the answers to those questions?"  
  
Rahab answered me, though he seemed in shock from disbelief. "The answer to both questions is that we are vampires. How did you not know that?"  
  
Now it was my turn to laugh. "More of you insane people! I just left a city whose entire populace believed that vampires were real! Now I come across you people who are under the hallucination that you ARE vampires!" My laughing subsided when I realized my mocking words was causing the 'vampires' to become angry. "You're serious? You really believe you are vampires?"  
  
"We ARE vampires," Rahab stated firmly.  
  
Okay. I wasn't going to argue with them any further. But I guess Turel felt that Rahab's stern statement wasn't enough to prove to me that they really were indeed vampires. At that moment, a woman dressed in rags carrying a bundle of bedding happened to walk by. Turel summoned her inside, and she immediately obeyed. I watched with fascination as she knelt before him, awaiting his command.  
  
I was disgusted by this gesture. They treated women as slaves around here! I was about to protest their treatment of this woman when Turel snatched her up violently by the back of her neck. What I saw next was even more shocking. Turel actually bit into her neck! Viciously! Blood spilled down her throat and onto her clothes. Turel held a tight grip on her as she silently struggled.  
  
I was paralyzed with shock. After several agonizing minutes, the woman grew still and Turel carelessly dumped her lifeless body on the ground. Blood was everywhere. I could taste the bile rise up in my throat, but fought the urge to vomit. I couldn't believe this actually happened! This was something you only saw in the movies!  
  
"Turel, why did you have to go and do that?" Rahab scolded, but the tone in his voice sounded nonchalant. "I'm sure I had Danni pretty much convinced we are vampires. There was no need to elaborate. Now I'm going to have to capture a new slave to replace her and find someone to clean up this mess."  
  
Turel licked the blood from his lips before commenting. "I was merely emphasizing your point. Besides, I was hungry. And you don't need to go looking for a new slave. You can use Danni to replace her."  
  
The whole situation was just so surreal; I almost didn't take notice to Turel's suggestion. I blinked out of my daze. "Wait a second. We had a deal. You were supposed to release me after you were satisfied with my answers."  
  
"Yes, that was the agreement," Rahab admitted. "But who says I'm done asking questions?" I was confused. "You are to remain here. I will have your belongings brought here for you. However, you will not leave until you tell me everything you know."  
  
Oh, this was just wonderful. Who knows how long he would keep me in this place! And what was more unsettling was that Turel seemed quite pleased that I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own LoK.  
  
Thanks to all who have reviewed! And by popular request, the continuation of:  
  
To Find My Way Home  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Three weeks. That's how long I've been trapped within Rahab's flooded sanctuary. Against my will, I have been held here as prisoner, slave, and (strangely) tutor to the forth-born son of Kain.  
  
Upon my arrival, Rahab has treated me with a trace more respect than I witnessed him giving any other human he has contact with. My first few days as a newcomer, I've watched the Rahabim unleash cruel beatings as punishment for those who so much as look at them the wrong way. Fortunately, I have managed to avoid such treatment. I often wonder if this is due to a sort of preferential treatment Rahab has befitted upon me.  
  
I don't let this thought go to my head, however, for I am forced into manual labor like the rest of the humans inhabiting this hellhole. My days start early, as I am to join the other women in preparation for the morning meals, warming up the most unappetizing gruel for the slaves. How lucky for us that it's even served warm.  
  
Afterwards, when the men are out gathering wood, or building monuments for the vampire 'gods', the women stay behind to clean the dishes and wash garments. Beautiful plates and goblets of silver donned with priceless gems and garments of the softest silk have crossed my hands during these past weeks. These, of course, belong to our 'lords', the vampires. We must wash these first before we can tend to the slaves 'belongings'.  
  
Compared to the glamorous possessions owned by our oppressors, the plates of tin we eat off of, and wool rags we are left to wear are quite depressing. I don't know how the slaves can endure a lifetime of this treatment. It makes me wonder how slavery ever existed in my own world's history.  
  
After the afternoon meal of more disgusting slop, the women are ordered to sew new clothing for the vampires, and the men return to their backbreaking chores. Cooking and cleaning I was able to handle from the start, but I had never so much as threaded a needle until this point in time. I was horribly clumsy with the needle at first, but I've somehow caught on, though I'm still much slower than the rest of the women.  
  
As dusk falls, the vampires rise from their slumber. I have come to learn, that of all Kain's sons, only Rahab has been unable to grow any tolerance to the sun's harmful rays. Not that there is ever a clear sky anymore. When I've been able to venture outside, I've noticed that the sky always seems blanketed in a foreboding cover of clouds.  
  
Although the entire populace of the Rahabim slumbers during the daylight hours, we humans are not left without supervision. And it seems humans are not the only objects of slavery in this world. It seems that the vampires have taken privy to enslaving fledges of other clans. Everyday, Zephonim and Melchiahim fledglings supervise over the human horde. And although these fledges rule over us, the Rahabim rule over them, treating them almost as badly as they treat their human slaves.  
  
Despite the way they are treated, the enslaved vampires do not try to rebel, or even try to escape for that matter. I don't know if it's because they are too weak, too afraid, or are just too stupid to do so. I've barely pondered this question, for I really don't care either way. They may be slaves like I am, but they are still bloodthirsty murderers like the rest of the vampires.  
  
When the Rahabim rise from their rests, the vampire slaves are relieved of their duties, as are the majority of human slaves. Where all the slaves go after nightfall, I don't know. For the past three weeks, I have been taken to Rahab's study, where every night I am ordered to tell Rahab more about my world's culture, history, technology, or any other tidbit of knowledge he should request.  
  
Rahab's study is more like a library. Every wall is adorned with books, old and new, neatly filed upon shelves, which stretch from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. A solitary oak table stands in the center of the room with two oak chairs accompanying it, one on either side. A lantern usually rests on the table, off to one side, to provide a little light in the dark room during the night hours.  
  
The study has a musty smell to it, like that of an old library basement. The smell of mildew clogs the air. The damp air within the stronghold only makes the smell worse, and is probably the cause for all the mildew. Even though the study is on the third floor, the flooded first floor causes a dampness to permeate through the entire building. It's no wonder many of the slaves are in poor health.  
  
Every night, I sit in this musty environment, conversing with Rahab. As a sort of 'reward' for my obedience, he has periodically returned to me some of my belongings. It is a sort of 'trade-off' we have become accustomed to. I tell him what he wants; he gives me some of my stuff back.  
  
I haven't a clue how much from my car Rahab has pillaged, although I do know he hasn't been able to bring my car itself to his sanctuary. I guess he hasn't been able to figure out how to turn off the parking brakes yet. I imagine he will eventually order me to assist his men on transporting it here when he chooses to learn more about it.  
  
For now, I have been able to preoccupy Rahab with my knowledge of my world's history. Like most men, he finds more interest in past wars. I did fairly well in history class in school, but it's been four years since I graduated high school, five years since I've taken any history courses, so my memory isn't 100% faithful to me, and my knowledge is scant in some areas. I can tell Rahab isn't pleased with the obvious gaps of information, but he has thus far made no motion to punish me for my faults.  
  
Of my items that have been returned to me, I have received two sets of clothes, my tent, a cooler half-filled with now-rotted/stale food, and my cell phone. Most of these items are of no use to me in my current predicament. I can only hope that Rahab returns to me something more useful in the future.  
  
Said vampire usually keeps me awake, telling him what I can until my eyes are too heavy to keep open. Only when I can no longer speak cognitive sentences, does he permit me to retire for the evening. Or what's left of it. After the 'study session', I usually only get about five hours of sleep. Six hours if I'm lucky. After that, my day starts all over again. The only good thing to this entire situation is that Turel had departed for his realm two days after my arrival here in Rahab's clan lands.  
  
The long days are really beginning to take their toll on me. I try to suppress a yawn between stitches on the dress I'm attempting to make. I've been ordered to create a simple evening gown for a vampiress made of midnight blue velvet. I'm struggling to keep my eyes open, let alone not stabbing myself with the needle. Should I get so much as a drop of blood on the cloth, I shall be ordered to start anew.  
  
I try to stifle another yawn, but it escapes my lips despite my efforts. The Zephonim seamstress overlooking us does not hear me, but one of the slaves nearby does.  
  
"Whatever is the matter?" she asks bitterly. "Is the mundane tasks of commoners too much of a bore for you?"  
  
I look over in her direction and I recognize her as another newcomer here. In actuality, she has been here fewer days than I have. If I recall correctly, she has only been here about four days. She stares at me, demanding an answer.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I inquire.  
  
"Oh, forgive me for my rudeness, milady," she replies sarcastically. "My 'concerns' for your well-being seems to be distracting you from your concentration. It would be dreadful if you should miss a stitch."  
  
"What's your problem? I didn't do anything to you!"  
  
The girl, who seems to be about my age, glowers at my remark. Looking at her, she seems to have been from a poverty stricken family.  
  
"Oh, of course you didn't do anything to me!" she sneers. "Tis the common reply from nobility towards one such as myself! You nobles never seem to see anything past your upturned noses! I am not surprised that you recall nothing about me!"  
  
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else..."  
  
"Oh! But who could mistake the beautiful Lady Danielle! Daughter to Governor Harold Wesley!"  
  
Oh, great! I thought I had escaped that chapter of my ordeal. Looks like my similarities to my alter persona were going to haunt me until I found some way home. I tried to ignore this girl, but this only made her angrier...and louder.  
  
"Whatever is the matter, Lady Danielle? Am I not worthy enough for you to take audience with me? Or are you feeling guilt for what you and your father has done to my family and I?"  
  
I snapped my head in her direction, quite annoyed at this point with her allegations. "If I remembered ever having wronged you, then perhaps I would have feelings of guilt about it, were it not for your rude and inconsiderate behavior towards me!" There! If she was going to treat me and believe me to be 'Danielle', then I ought to play the part. "However, I have carried out no ill transgressions towards you or your kin. So, I shall ask kindly of you to shut up!"  
  
This girl was furious. So furious she almost couldn't speak. Unfortunately, she got enough of her rage under control to regain her ability to speak. "How dare you! How could you deny your wrongdoings! If not for your father's scandalizing, my father would be governor of the citadel and my family would not be living in squalor this very moment!"  
  
Something about this accusation struck a cord of familiarity. I studied this girl hard for a moment, temporarily forgetting our little squabble. Beneath the dirty face and the matted down hair, a familiar face rose to the surface. I gasped. "Liz Shoemaker?"  
  
'Liz' glared at me. "Elizabeth. Not 'Liz'. Though I'm surprised you even remembered my surname. So you DO recall what your family has done to mine!"  
  
I wasn't completely sure what had happened in this world, though I wondered if it mirrored what had happened in mine. When my dad was running for governor of our hometown, his opponent happened to be James Shoemaker, Liz's father. I don't know what exactly happened, but Mr. Shoemaker was suspected of laundering money to fund his campaign, and he withdrew from the running. Why he would go through such lengths for such a small position is beyond me.  
  
"I'm sure whatever happened, your father deserved it," I bluntly responded to Elizabeth.  
  
"My father did not deserve to be charged and sentenced with vampire allegiance! Because of your father, mine was murdered in cold blood! Just so your father could become governor of the citadel! Since then, my family has been cast into the poorest class, and even THEY do not welcome us there because of your father's accusations!"  
  
I was shocked. Whether or not her account of the facts was true, I was still horrified that people could turn on one another so easily and without second thought. Especially in this world where people needed to stick together against the vampire race.  
  
"If- if it accounts for anything..." I muttered solemnly, "I'm sorry about your father. I- I had no idea..."  
  
Now it was Elizabeth's turn to look shocked. "I- I didn't ever expect to hear an apology from you..." she admitted. Noticing my sincerity, she added, "You- you really didn't know, did you?"  
  
Before I could say a word, a loud 'SMACK' echoed through the air and an expression of horrid pain etched itself onto Elizabeth's face. Behind her stood the Zephonim seamstress with a leather switch posed to strike again. Elizabeth tried desperately to fight back the tears as she quickly and quietly returned to her stitching.  
  
"Be that a warning to all of you! Slackers shall be dealt with harshly!" the vampiress lectured, giving me a hard glare. I returned to my own work as well, lest I wish to receive the same punishment. Not a single word was uttered for the remainder of the afternoon, until we were dismissed for the evening 'meal'. 


End file.
